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Lingokids - English for Kids
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Lingokids is the best English learning app for kids aged 2-8. Now featuring content from Oxford...
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Track and map every hike with MapMyHike. For every mile you go, you’ll get feedback and stats to...
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HelloTalk, the 1st global language and culture exchange community, connects you with native speakers...
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Magisto is the best video editor and movie maker with over 80M happy users! Finally, the video...
Dana (24 KP) rated The Great Gatsby in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I had to reread this book for one of my classes in college, so this, I believe, is the second or third time I have had to read this book.
I understand why it is a lot of people's favorite book, it is very good, especially with all of the hidden meanings and themes throughout the novel. The only thing is that I feel like it is kind of overrated. Don't hate me, I have reasons.
So many students in the United States have to read this book in high school, most in their Junior year, but I don't know if they are fully able to grasp all of the hidden depths to it. People will go around quoting the book over an over and not stop to question or analyze what they are saying. I understand that not everyone is an English major and that they don't all want to analyze everything they are saying, but at least thinking about it should be done a bit more.
That being said, I really do enjoy this book. Each sentence is so complex in its own way and I love it when books are like that. It would be so easy to be able to write a whole paper on just a small portion of this book in this review, but I promise I'm not going to do that.
So for the class I am reading this for, we are studying it less in the context of what is going on in the novel and more on the period it was written in: the Modernist period. In looking at the style and the cultural and historical influences on F Scott Fitzgerald, I feel like I am able to get more out of the book and the reasons behind each plot point and character. This is a book that is studying people's deficiencies and culture's issues in a not so subtle way.
The characters are really fun to study because they are all not so great people. They all have flaws that are so noticeable to the readers, but it is trying to understand why they are the way they are that is the most fun, at least for me.
If you ever get a chance to study this in a class that is not your high school English course, I would highly recommend it because it almost starts to feel like a whole new book!
I understand why it is a lot of people's favorite book, it is very good, especially with all of the hidden meanings and themes throughout the novel. The only thing is that I feel like it is kind of overrated. Don't hate me, I have reasons.
So many students in the United States have to read this book in high school, most in their Junior year, but I don't know if they are fully able to grasp all of the hidden depths to it. People will go around quoting the book over an over and not stop to question or analyze what they are saying. I understand that not everyone is an English major and that they don't all want to analyze everything they are saying, but at least thinking about it should be done a bit more.
That being said, I really do enjoy this book. Each sentence is so complex in its own way and I love it when books are like that. It would be so easy to be able to write a whole paper on just a small portion of this book in this review, but I promise I'm not going to do that.
So for the class I am reading this for, we are studying it less in the context of what is going on in the novel and more on the period it was written in: the Modernist period. In looking at the style and the cultural and historical influences on F Scott Fitzgerald, I feel like I am able to get more out of the book and the reasons behind each plot point and character. This is a book that is studying people's deficiencies and culture's issues in a not so subtle way.
The characters are really fun to study because they are all not so great people. They all have flaws that are so noticeable to the readers, but it is trying to understand why they are the way they are that is the most fun, at least for me.
If you ever get a chance to study this in a class that is not your high school English course, I would highly recommend it because it almost starts to feel like a whole new book!
Debbie (52 KP) rated The Poet X in Books
Sep 8, 2018
The Poet X By: Elizabeth Acevedo
Young Adult 357 Pages
This book is written in verse. I wasn't a fan of this book so I only gave it 3 stars. I am getting use to reading books that are written in verse and starting to enjoy them. They are actually quick reads.
The main character is 16 year old girl named Xiomara. She has a twin brother, Xavier and her best friend, Caridad. Mom is from the Dominican Republic and Dad is from America. Mom married Dad to come to the states but she really wanted to become a nun. Mom is extremely religious. Dad doesn't do much. He is a womanizer. X loves to write poetry and her brother gave her notebook one year for their birthday to keep them in. She hates going to church. She isn't allowed to date or have contact with boys except for her brother. She is punished for the smallest things. (SPOILER) For example when she starts her period. Her mom hasn't told her anything about this or allowed her to watch the movie that they show in school so she has to look it up on google to figure out what to do. She gets money from a stash and goes to the store to get tampons but doesn't insert correctly and cries. Her mother is freaking out telling her that 11 is to young to be having a period and that only ho's use tampons. In high school during biology she meets a boy, Aman. They like each other and find ways to see each other. This is were her best friend helps out. They are eventually discovered and mom goes nuts. X wants to join the poetry club at school but mom makes her go to confirmation classes at the church. Again her best friend helps her to be able to eventually go to poetry club. There are a few more things that happen and make the book interesting I just could not stand the mom in this story.
Brother has a secret what is it? Does mom and X get to understanding each other better? You will have to read the book to find out. Just be warned that mom is not a nice person.
Young Adult 357 Pages
This book is written in verse. I wasn't a fan of this book so I only gave it 3 stars. I am getting use to reading books that are written in verse and starting to enjoy them. They are actually quick reads.
The main character is 16 year old girl named Xiomara. She has a twin brother, Xavier and her best friend, Caridad. Mom is from the Dominican Republic and Dad is from America. Mom married Dad to come to the states but she really wanted to become a nun. Mom is extremely religious. Dad doesn't do much. He is a womanizer. X loves to write poetry and her brother gave her notebook one year for their birthday to keep them in. She hates going to church. She isn't allowed to date or have contact with boys except for her brother. She is punished for the smallest things. (SPOILER) For example when she starts her period. Her mom hasn't told her anything about this or allowed her to watch the movie that they show in school so she has to look it up on google to figure out what to do. She gets money from a stash and goes to the store to get tampons but doesn't insert correctly and cries. Her mother is freaking out telling her that 11 is to young to be having a period and that only ho's use tampons. In high school during biology she meets a boy, Aman. They like each other and find ways to see each other. This is were her best friend helps out. They are eventually discovered and mom goes nuts. X wants to join the poetry club at school but mom makes her go to confirmation classes at the church. Again her best friend helps her to be able to eventually go to poetry club. There are a few more things that happen and make the book interesting I just could not stand the mom in this story.
Brother has a secret what is it? Does mom and X get to understanding each other better? You will have to read the book to find out. Just be warned that mom is not a nice person.